Latest news with #FranzWagner
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paolo Banchero Makes Bold Prediction On Magic With Improved Roster
Paolo Banchero Makes Bold Prediction On Magic With Improved Roster originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Orlando Magic have made some noteworthy additions to their roster to become a significantly better team this offseason. With Paolo Banchero acknowledging the team's potential, the 22-year-old predicted they could even take over the Eastern Conference next season. During a recent interview, he said: "I'm just looking forward to competing at a high level. Going to hopefully take the East. Get around this new team, this new energy, these new vibes." Banchero also praised new teammate Desmond Bane and said, "Desmond Bane is a hell of a player. Can't wait to share the court with him and just compete with him." The Magic pushed things into overdrive this offseason. After trading for Bane and solidifying their starting backcourt, Orlando offered a massive contract extension to Banchero, locking him in with the franchise for the foreseeable future. With four immensely talented players in place, the Magic have established their core. Alongside Banchero and Bane, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs round out one of the league's most talented young cores. Last season, the Magic came up short in the postseason, getting eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics. Although this could be viewed as a poor outing, it appeared to be a product of relative inexperience rather than incompetence. The outlook for the upcoming season will be drastically different for Orlando. Given the state of the Eastern Conference, with top teams like the Pacers, the Celtics, and the Bucks expected to drop off, the Magic may have an opportunity to secure a higher playoff berth. Much of Orlando's success next season will be determined by the performance of Banchero. The 22-year-old forward boasts the potential to be a top 10 player in the league someday. His athleticism and versatility as an offensive player have generated a lot of buzz, with many analysts speculating that he will see a massive uptick in output in the upcoming season. The Magic forward demonstrated his abilities to a great extent last season as well, recording an average of 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. Although he didn't earn an All-Star selection last season, primarily due to injuries, the forward has showcased the makings of a perennial All-Star, making him an invaluable asset for the Magic. The aspect of Banchero's game that has garnered the most attention has been his shot selection. As effective as he is from the floor, his stats are often impacted by his decisions to shoot low-efficiency shots from midrange. This criticism gained from this suggests that there are more ways he could expand his offensive arsenal. With time to refine his game this offseason, Banchero will have ample opportunity to story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Magic's Luxury Tax Outlook After Paolo Banchero's $287 Million Contract Extension
Magic's Luxury Tax Outlook After Paolo Banchero's $287 Million Contract Extension originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Orlando Magic have one of the more promising young cores in the NBA. Graced with uniquely talented players in their starting rotation, the team has locked in a franchise player for the future by offering Paolo Banchero a massive five-year contract, which could be worth up to $287 million. Banchero has shown steady improvement with each passing NBA season. Coming off a career year of averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, the 22-year-old has shown all the makings of a future superstar in the league. The contract extension offered to the Magic forward is the first rookie-scale max extension with a player option for the final year, a first since the contract extensions of Luka Doncic and Trae Young in 2021. This only displays the franchise's commitment towards building around its star. This will be a welcome sight for Magic fans, who have a lot to be excited about after their team's recent offseason moves. But there will be some concerns associated with the Magic's luxury tax situation in the future. With Banchero's contract extension being finalized, the Magic will have four players who are earning over $30 million once the forward's contract is in effect, with three nearing or exceeding $40 million. These are the expected cap hits of the team's core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs for the 2026-27 season: Franz Wagner - $41.7 million Paolo Banchero - $41.3 million Desmond Bane - $39.4 million Jalen Suggs - $32.4 million While this poses long-term cap concerns for the Magic, with an estimated $350 million bill in the 2026-27 season, the 2025-26 season seems relatively more friendly. Orlando has done a great job of retaining some key rotation players on relatively team-friendly salaries. With the re-signing of Moritz Wagner on a one-year, $5 million deal, along with the addition of Tyus Jones, an expiring contract worth $7 million, the Magic have made some good deals. As things stand, with Banchero's contract only coming into effect in the 2026-27 season, the Magic are in a relatively comfortable cap position. With an estimated luxury tax bill of only $4.3 million, Orlando shouldn't have too much trouble meeting these demands. The Orlando Magic Have Invested For The Future The concerns associated with the Magic's luxury tax bill in the summer of 2026 are justified. But these are the risks the franchise is expected to take if it intends to compete for a title. The core of Banchero, Wagner, and Suggs has proven itself to be solid. The addition of Desmond Bane in the offseason has only added to the team's overall firepower, increasing their chances of making it out of the East. Given the state of the conference next season, with several teams debilitated and hobbled with injury, the Magic could emerge as clear-cut favorites to advance from the East. This investment in the team's core could be significant in revitalizing a title charge, something the franchise hasn't been able to do in a long time. With all the right pieces in place, the Magic will certainly be a team to keep an eye on next story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Magic make contract decisions on 2 key bench players
The post Magic make contract decisions on 2 key bench players appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Orlando Magic have a lot to consider during the 2025 NBA free agency window. In preparation for the process, the Magic opted to decline team options on center Moritz 'Moe' Wagner and Caleb Houstan. Advertisement While Wagner and Houstan will become unrestricted free agents, Orlando retains their Bird rights and can potentially re-sign them, per ESPN's Shams Charania. Wagner would have been owed $11 million in 2025-2026, with Houstan's option worth $2 million. Wagner, the older brother of Magic star Franz Wagner, averaged a career-high 12.9 points per game in 2024-2025, making his move somewhat of a surprise. However, his season was cut short by a torn ACL after just 30 games, putting his future in limbo. Houstan, a 2022 second-round pick, has never made the same impact in his three years with the team. Houstan has appeared in 168 total games for Orlando, averaging just 4.1 points per outing. While he did shoot a career-high 40.1 percent from deep in 2024-2025, Houstan reached double figures just eight times all year. Both Moe Wagner and Houstan came out of Michigan, but never overlapped in Ann Arbor. Wagner declared for the 2018 NBA Draft after three years with the Wolverines, four years before Houstan went one-and-done in 2021-2022. Advertisement Magic enter NBA free agency with internal focus Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images Even without Wagner and Houstan's contracts on their books, the Magic do not have much flexibility in free agency. Orlando went all-in on the Desmond Bane trade with the Memphis Grizzlies before seemingly shifting its focus internally. The Magic now have nine players under contract for the 2025-2026 season, not including recent draft picks Jase Richardson and Noah Penda. Orlando's biggest concern will be extending All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, who will enter the final year of his rookie deal in the fall. After a three-year playoff drought, the Magic have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons. However, they have not gotten past the first round in either year and have yet to get over the hump. The Bane deal certainly shifts their outlook. With long-term injuries to stars Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, the Eastern Conference is wide open in 2025-2026, something Orlando clearly intends to exploit. Related: NBA rumors: Magic interested in signing Desmond Bane's ex-Grizzlies teammate Related: NBA rumors: Ty Jerome suitors lining up amid expected Cavs exit
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jalen Suggs breaks down how Desmond Bane raises Magic's title chances
The post Jalen Suggs breaks down how Desmond Bane raises Magic's title chances appeared first on ClutchPoints. Coming off the heels of the shocking deal that had the Orlando Magic trade for Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies, the team now heads into the summer with a bunch of momentum. With some calling Bane's fit with the Magic perfect, he joins a core that includes Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, as the latter spoke highly of the new addition. Advertisement Suggs made an appearance on 'SportsCenter' on ESPN to speak about the news of Bane coming to Orlando and expressed the elite traits he's bringing to the team. 'Bringing another dog onto our roster man,' Suggs said. 'You know everything from what I've seen, playing against him, and hearing from people who have been around him. His mentality is elite, and not only that, I mean you can see his shooting ability, he's been top in the league the past couple years. His ability to play off the catch.' 'Another versatile ball handler that gives us down the line, you know we can play one through four, even five,' Suggs said. 'You know, everybody kind of with the ball in their hands making plays and uh being active and aggressive off closeouts. I think bringing him in not only with his physical attributes but his mindset will be a huge boost for all of us.' Jalen Suggs on when he heard about the Magic trade for Desmond Bane Petre Thomas-Imagn Images With Bane ready to get to work with the Magic, there's no doubt that the team will have high expectations going into the upcoming season in the fall of 2025. Still, the goal now will be building the chemistry along names mentioned before, like Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, and more. Advertisement Suggs would reveal how he found out about the news, which included getting a notification on his phone and then receiving a call from team president Jeff Weltman. 'I had the ESPN fantasy notification pop up on my phone, and then a couple minutes later, I got a call from Jeff [Weltman]. So that's how I took in the news, and a good start to my day. I was very excited. You know, having a player of his caliber come in,' Suggs said. 'Excited to get around him and spend some time with him. And I texted him, you know, yesterday morning and said, 'I'm excited to start this championship journey with you.'' At any rate, Orlando looks to improve after finishing with a 41-41 record, which put them seventh in the Eastern Conference as they were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Advertisement Related: Chris Broussard makes contender claim after Magic's Desmond Bane trade Related: Magic front office 'didn't expect' Desmond Bane to be available
Reuters
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Agent: Paolo Banchero, Magic agree to $239M max rookie deal
July 7 - The Orlando Magic are locking up cornerstone player Paolo Banchero, agreeing to a five-year, $239 million maximum rookie extension with the star forward on Monday, his agent told ESPN. If Banchero is either named to an All-NBA team or wins NBA MVP or Defensive Player of the Year next season, the extension could reach $287 million, per Miller. Banchero's deal includes a player option in 2030-31, which has not happened since Luka Doncic (then with the Dallas Mavericks) and the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young finished out their rookie max contracts in 2021. The Magic appear poised to be serious contenders in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future, with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs also under contract for the next five seasons, newcomer Desmond Bane signed through the 2028-29 season and Tyus Jones joining on a one-year deal. Banchero, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has guided the franchise to two consecutive postseason appearances, despite missing 34 games last season with an early oblique injury. After the All-Star break, he carried the Magic with averages of 29.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He is also coming off a campaign in which he averaged career-high 25.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game along with 4.8 assists, becoming just the third Magic player to average more than 25 ppg (Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady). Over his three seasons, the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year and 2023-24 All-Star has averaged 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 198 games (all starts). --Field Level Media
